Fulton Does It Again To Set Up Victory Push

New Zealand 443 & 241-6 dec. (Fulton 110) vEngland 204 (Boult 6-68) & 90-4Third Test, Auckland, day fourScorecard | Day One | Day Two | Day ThreeReport by John Pennington

England were left hanging on at the end of day four of the third and final Test against New Zealand in Auckland, closing on 90 for four after being set 481 to win.

Peter Fulton scored his second century of the match, making 110, as New Zealand declared their second innings on 241 for six before their bowlers set about their task.

England lost Alastair Cook (43), Nick Compton (2), Jonathan Trott (37) and finally nightwatchman Steven Finn for nought to end another disappointing day at Eden Park.

New Zealand, by contrast, are on the brink of a rare series win against England, who may find the task on the final day one rescue job too far.

They began the day unimpressively, James Anderson dropping an early chance but finally broke the Fulton-Dean Brownlie partnership when the score was 82, Ian Bell taking a fine catch as Monty Panesar struck in his first over.

Brownlie had made 28 but played a massive role moving New Zealand out of danger after he came in with the score on eight for three.

Fulton proved a harder nut to crack as he and Brendon McCullum (67 not out in 53 balls) put on 117 for the fifth wicket, Fulton hitting 14 fours and five sixes in his innings and McCullum cracking five fours and three sixes.

Fulton faced 165 deliveries and was out when he was caught by Joe Root off Finn and after BJ Watling had breezed his way to 18 in 17 balls only to perish to Panesar, New Zealand decided they had enough runs on the board.

Academic though it may be, no Test team has ever chased more than the 418 famously managed by West Indies against Australia.

Tim Southee had Nick Compton caught behind from the ninth ball of the innings but as Cook and Trott added 58 for the second wicket, not everything was going the home side's way.

Then Trott was caught behind by Wagner and the late, late double strike from Kane Williamson to dismiss first Cook, caught by Brownlie having resisted for 145 balls, and Finn caught by Southee, put New Zealand back in charge.

Both of the first two Tests, in Dunedin and Wellington, were rain-affected draws.